1. Technical Field
The present disclosure relates to development and use of a puzzle database and more specifically to dynamic generation of crossword puzzles based on the puzzle database.
2. Introduction
Millions of people in the United States today do crossword puzzles. While many enjoy doing crosswords, many of these puzzlers consider certain puzzles too difficult even to attempt. As a result, they choose to avoid puzzles, which may, in fact, not be beyond their capabilities. Additional millions avoid crossword puzzles altogether because of a belief that they are too difficult. Moreover, at present, there is no means of allowing multiple players or groups of players of different ages, demographic backgrounds and breadth of general knowledge either to compete against or cooperate with each other in an effective, enjoyable and meaningful way in completing a puzzle.
With a moderate amount of experience designed specifically to help them better understand clues, in particular the more difficult, ambiguous or even deliberately misleading clues, reluctant, novice or relatively unskilled puzzlers would be able to achieve dramatic improvement and to succeed in completing puzzles that are currently seen as too difficult. If puzzlers of all ages and abilities were further able to pursue information in a variety of multimedia formats pertaining to a clue and its solution they would almost certainly find puzzling to be more rewarding and enjoyable, as well as increase their knowledge and understanding of the world around them, whatever age they may happen to be.
The application of technology to crosswords has, to date, been limited primarily to the ability to do crossword puzzles in their traditional form and format on a computer or more recently handheld mobile device. While advances have been made, they have failed to match in any respect the opportunities made available by current technology to provide the puzzler an opportunity to improve, succeed, learn, grow, and develop and maintain social contacts and connections, both individually and as part of a family or social group.
In short, there is a great opportunity for every puzzler of any age or ability, from the novice to the most experienced, to improve both her or his success at and enjoyment of puzzling, and for puzzling to provide a unique basis for social contacts and discourse wherever a puzzler or prospective puzzler happens to be.